MMA fighter Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk said “miss me with the drag stuff” and that he has an “image to uphold,” with Frankie Grande slamming the comments online.
Key Points
- MMA fighter Kamu Kirk made anti-drag remarks in the Big Brother house shared with fellow houseguest and RuPaul’s Drag Race queen Salina EsTitties.
- Frankie Grande, one of Salina’s close friends, slammed Kirk’s comments as “horses---“ and “homophobic” online.
- Salina, who recently competed on Drag Race All Stars 11, joined Big Brother season 28 under real name Jason De Puy.
Big Brother season 28 star Kamu Kirk was captured on camera making anti-drag remarks on the during the reality competition show’s live feeds, in a house he currently shares with fellow houseguest and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Salina EsTitties.
During a discussion that occurred last week over the weekend, the MMA fighter and Survivor alum Rick Devens engaged in a conversation reacting to another houseguest, Drew Campbell, wearing a set of unicorn-themed pajamas.
“Are those dudes dressed in women’s clothes?” Devens asked. Kirk replied, confirming that he was also asked to wear a pair of the garments.
“I was with them, I’m like, I’m not doing that, bro,” Kirk said, while Devens then referenced houseguest Jason De Puy (who first competed on Drag Race season 15 under the aforementioned drag name) upon saying, “Not until Jason is [Head of Household.]”
Kirk continued, “I said, ‘Bro, miss me with the drag stuff. Miss me. I’m still an MMA guy, and I have an image to uphold.” Devens responded, telling Kirk “that’s tough” after the fighter’s comments.
The conversation drew criticism from actor and Big Brother season 16 alum Frankie Grande, one of Salina’s close friends, who slammed Kirk’s words on social media.
“Um. What the f--- is this horses--t?! Get these homophobic bigots out of the f---ing house IMMEDIATELY,” Grande said. “Both of them. Ew this conversation makes me sick to my stomach. I’m disgusted. This better be the biggest thing ever when I wake up tomorrow or I’m flipping a table… f---. Ew. Gross.”
Grande later walked back his criticism of Devens, writing, “Ok. I concede there is not enough info in the clip to understand Deven’s motivations. Hopefully he was just taping [sic] into Kamu’s energy for game reasons. Regardless, men behaving in a repulsed or shocked way when a man dresses feminine or in women’s clothing is homophobic. Period.”
On Tuesday, Grande also replied to a clip of the moment on social media, calling the exchange “homophobia incarnate.”
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Big Brother for comment on Kirk’s remarks and Grande’s response.
Salina entered the Big Brother house following her elimination from the Drag Race All Stars 11 competition, across which she courted new fans and was in contention as one of the judges’ wildcard picks to potentially return to the competition for the semi-finals.
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
Other drag performers have spoken out against anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ social and political sentiment in the United States, particularly amid a recent Supreme Court decision to uphold two states’ laws barring trans women from women’s sports in Idaho and West Virginia.
“This decision is heartbreaking for many in our community,” Drag Race Salina’s season 15 sister and eventual winner, Sasha Colby, previously told EW of the judicial move. “As a trans woman, I know how important it is to feel seen, valued, and accepted for who you are. Every young person deserves the chance to grow, dream, and participate without fear of being made to feel like they don’t belong.”
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly